


Retribution Of The Heart

by Carribbe



Category: Bonanza
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bonanza Fan Fiction, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Half-Sibling Incest, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Male Slash, Slash Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 10:11:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4824986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carribbe/pseuds/Carribbe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Cartwrights become involved in solving a cattle rustling situation which leads to some unexpected emotional fallout and turmoil for Joe.  This is a brief exploration of those issues and their effect on Adam and Joe, one night in their relationship venturing into somewhat forbidden territory, and how they solved it.</p><p>***Warning: Adult language, situations, and M/M sexual contact as well as an incestuous theme.  Please do not read further if either are offensive to you.***</p><p>Disclaimer: No offense is intended to the publicly recognized characters of the Cartwright family, the actors who portrayed them, or anything/anyone associated with the Bonanza enterprise.  No profit is made or intended - this tale is completely fictional.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Retribution Of The Heart

Chapter 1

"Adam," Joe whispered. "Adam?" he repeated.

Joe struggled to move against the heavy blankets, pushing them aside as he searched for his brother.

"Adam, where are you?" he tried again, confused by the darkness and unfamiliar surroundings. He was beginning to sound frantic.

Joe was fighting to sit up when he sensed Adam's presence beside him before remembering he was there. Not wanting to waste more time, he rolled over, curling himself close to Adam's body.

"Here, Joe," Adam said, his arms encircling his brother. "I'm right here," he continued.

Adam was sleepy and bewildered by Joe's sudden tossing and fussing with the covers.

Joe said nothing more as he snuggled closer, nuzzling his face into the crook of Adam's neck, and clamping one leg firmly over his brother's solid frame. The literal closeness was what he wanted most. As long as he could hold on to Adam, he knew no one else could hurt him.

"What's wrong?" Adam prodded gently, perplexed. "What's wrong, Joe, hum?" he tried again, still not fully awake.

Adam ran his fingertips beneath the soft, dark curls at the base of Joe's neck. 

"They can't hurt you any more," he added, his voice husky with sleep. Without waiting for Joe to answer, Adam nuzzled him back. "I promise."

The sound of his confident, familiar voice made Joe want to hold on to him more. Adam allowed him to cling, although his younger brother's sudden desperation. and his obvious need for reassurance since he had been found at the rustler's campsite earlier that day had begun to worry him.

Said rustlers left their campsite quite unexpectedly, leaving Joe behind still bound, gagged, and tied up in their wake. A pursuit had ensued, resulting in two of the remaining bunch being gunned down in the melee that followed, while the others were arrested before reaching Carson City. They were handed over to local deputies there who had also been out looking for them in the surrounding range lands. The sheriff in Carson City had assured Ben that he would be in touch with sheriff Coffee as soon as preliminary paperwork could be filed. The whole unsavory bunch would eventually be returned to Virginia City to face charges of cattle rustling. It was all going to take a little time.

Chasing down rustlers that day had been an impromptu decision. It had also landed the entire Cartwright family unexpectedly more than a day's ride from home. Once located, and when he was sure they were closing in, Joe had stubbornly broken away from the posse and struck out ahead on his own. He attempted to circle back from the north, but surprised both himself and the renegade cowhands, in the midst of illegal re-branding instead. He had ridden alone straight into trouble, resulting in a fight in which he was outnumbered, and landing him unceremoniously tied to a tree until the rustlers could decide what else to do with him.

Fortunately for Joe, the posse and the rest of the Cartwright family had been able to locate and surround the camp only a couple of hours later. They overpowered the lot of them, setting Joe free in the process. With the rustlers jailed, Joe safely back with his family, and everything else under control, they had gladly opted for a night in a hotel in Carson City before riding home the next day. Accommodations had proven scarce this particular night at the local establishments. Ben and Hoss had managed to find a room at one hotel, while Adam and Joe had found lodging at another. The four men readily split up for the sake of a good night's sleep knowing the horses could benefit from a long rest as well. The four exhausted animals had been left at a livery a short walk from the hotels.

That accomplished, Joe and Adam had taken the last available room at another hotel, and were thankful for it - a one bed availability had been neither unusual, or of particular concern to either of them. A hot bath wasn't an option at this particular hotel, but after a quick supper, and a more than adequate 'spit' bath with basins of warm water in the room, they both felt immensely better. They shared a drink to unwind from a couple of dusty days tracking men through the Nevada scrub brush who didn't want to be found, and turned in early. Wearing only their drawers, both had gone to bed barely clothed. Neither had been prepared for traveling or any lengthy amount of time on the trail. After locking the door, the two of them climbed into bed, both men falling sound asleep in a matter of minutes.

What only Joe knew was that his time with the rustlers had actually unnerved him to his core. As usual he had swallowed his fear, and had done what he needed to do to survive. He also understood he had done nothing to save himself this time - he owed his life to his family, and the posse that hunted down the rustlers. Still shaking with the memories, and needing reassurance he could not find alone, he had unashamedly reached for his brother in the wake of a terrifying dream in which he relived most of his capture, but wasn't so lucky the second time around.

And now as Adam held him, stripped of most of his defenses, and the worst of his fear behind him, Joe tried to swallow his worry, relocate his courage, and own the feelings he had nowhere else to assuage other than with Adam himself. He wasn't afraid of his brother, but the need for clarity, and the other man's compassion, had boiled over inside of him tonight. He needed Adam to understand. He wanted his help with a bundle of burdens, no matter the ultimate outcome.

Joe released a ragged breath, but said nothing more immediately. Still - he tried to wiggle closer, and Adam waited patiently as Joe attempted to comfort himself through touch. Adam was not unfamiliar with this sort of behavior from his youngest brother, but it had been a long time since Joe had seemed so insecure. When no words were forthcoming, Adam gently tugged him closer. He accepted the way Joe's hands moved across his chest and belly as though searching for more of him. The way Joe liked to touch him was both endearing, and unmistakably needful. His hands were also beginning to slow in their exploration. Adam felt himself flush with excitement at the way Joe's touch made him feel.

Finding his strength, Joe began to relax. He answered Adam's question by tracing his lips slowly across his brother's neck - cautious, exploring, and deliberately tender. Adam sighed at Joe's touch - a delicious distraction from the weariness of the last several days, yet he sensed something was now deeply different between them as he lay enjoying the tiny caresses.

Joe shifted to his elbows, bringing them face to face, and hovering just above him in the dark hotel room. There was no one else here to see what they were doing - no one would ever know what happened here tonight. The question hung heavily between them without being asked. Joe waited quietly for some kind of response, his lips brushing lightly over his brother's. No matter the actual outcome, he knew Adam would not hurt him, yet he was fearful of the potential for rejection that could follow such a risk. Regardless, he was unable to hold back tonight. He ached in both mind and body for the comfort and solace that only Adam could provide. Heart in hand, Joe kissed him tenderly on the lips, closed his eyes, and waited...

To Joe's delight, Adam kissed him back without hesitation. The corners of Adam's mouth were curling as Joe pulled slightly away. The other man was watching him intently, studying him quietly while nose to nose. Adam accepted the implication that it was his turn to wait for Joe to offer any additional, immediate explanation.

"I just need you," Joe said eventually, his voice so low Adam had to strain his ears to hear him. "Always have in some ways, but tonight's different - just need you more is all."

Adam didn't react outwardly initially. His eyes were still heavy with sleep and the duress of the last couple of days. He had kissed his brother before many times, but not while holding him quite like this, and never while stretched out in bed together as they were now. He understood what Joe was asking of him. He surprised himself with his own tranquility, as though he had somehow known they might one day face the decision together.

"What's this really about, Joe?" Adam asked, cupping Joe's face gently in his hands. "Do you understand what you're really doing - what you're asking for?"

"Yes, I know what I'm doing," Joe answered.

Adam continued to peer harder at Joe, honesty heavy in his eyes, although his brother was truly incapable of being anything other than an open book. Adam could read the sincerity there - the love and admiration shining back at him in undeniable waves.

"I don't want to be responsible for corrupting you," Adam said, smiling slightly.

"Don't worry," Joe responded, smiling back. "You won't have to be."

Adam waited, his knowing eyes holding his brother's gaze in a way that expected additional information. He wasn't interested in making Joe uncomfortable - in fact, quite the opposite. It was, however, a fair question in the face of numerous important considerations.

"Yes, that's precisely what worries me, " Adam replied calmly. "But this is something you need to tell me more about."

Joe chewed on his lower lip as he considered how to properly explain himself further. He had long known this scenario was a distinct possibility with Adam, yet now that he was faced with the decision, he wasn't sure how to describe himself properly without appearing juvenile, impulsive, or simply reckless in his brother's eyes. Adam was none of those things. The responsibility weighed heavily upon him.

Glancing at Adam, he saw no judgment clouding the other man's eyes, though he was more than able to gauge the deep concern open to him there.

"No, you're right, Adam," Joe began. "This isn't an entirely new idea for me, but everything that happened today made me crave it more - like I need you more just in case something happens. Maybe I won't wake up someday and I would miss all of this."

Not knowing what else to offer, Joe swallowed, lowered his eyes, and waited for whatever was destined to happen. To his surprise, Adam calmly closed the distance between them with another kiss.

Finding him willing, Adam ran his lips slowly over Joe's. He allowed himself to taste him differently this time, arousing the desire lurking just beneath the surface of his own mind. He had never allowed himself this transgression before, though he was familiar enough with his own secrets, and the extent to which they had more than once followed him into his nighttime dreams. He understood the specific current of emotion that had always existed between himself and Joe - forbidden, smoldering, but undeniably present.

As though having made a decision, Adam pulled his brother close for another kiss. Joe was taken slightly off guard, causing him to become coy, and marginally overwhelmed. Adam chuckled as he noticed Joe's slight hesitation. Nonetheless, he rolled Joe smoothly beneath him, reversing their positions in the blink of an eye, and causing Joe's heart to beat a little faster from the sudden burst of aggression. Joe recognized the intent, allowing himself to be maneuvered. It was true he wanted everything Adam could give him, making his complete submission effortless.

A tiny smile teased at the corners of Joe's lips, catching Adam's attention as well as his breath, all at the same time.

_"God, he's adorable - and he's my brother," Adam thought, feeling nearly helpless._

"Just tonight - if that's all you can give," Joe whispered, interrupting his thoughts as though reading his mind. "I know there're all kinds of reasons we shouldn't, but I've all kinds of reasons that we should. You feel this, too, Adam. I know you do."

Adam didn't resist Joe's next advance, his feelings conveyed by the renewed gentle stroking of his lips, and the persistent, light touch of Joe's tongue against his mouth, teasing for more. Unable to deny him, Adam parted his lips just enough, and Joe opened him further, melding them together with the unmistakable exchange of emotions only lovers can share.

Joe was confident now. He recognized the solidity of his brother's acceptance, causing him to yearn for more.

"Thank you," Joe said softly, pulling away momentarily to whisper in Adam's ear. "Thank you," he repeated, stroking his brother's arm as he attempted to reassure him.

It was Adam's turn to sigh then - a deeply contented sound, while Joe aligned himself with his brother's body, his hands wandering across his back, and ever lower.

"Whatever you want, Joe," Adam managed to say. "Whatever you need," he whispered before planting a trail of tiny kisses beneath Joe's jaw.

And just like that - Adam understood and accommodated him. Such unconditional, unshakable love from anyone some folks would never know in a lifetime. Joe knew the value and power of such devotion. To his surprise he heard himself moan beneath his older brother's gentle touch. It was the touch of someone who could heal all wounds within him - the kind of touch that could never be found elsewhere. This night, this time - for this kind of soul deep hurt - Joe needed and wanted only Adam. No one else could help him. His brother had willingly accepted all of him.

Adam's hands were gentle where he touched Joe, unhurried, and undemanding as he brushed one bare nipple with his thumb. Joe gasped in response, the sensation delightful, electrifying, and causing him to arch his back in response. He cried out as Adam pulled his other nipple gently into his mouth, taking his time, and laving the tender nub with his tongue before soothing the pointed tip with a soft kiss. Joe felt himself harden in response, causing him to rub his swollen length against his brother's body. Adam returned the gentle rotation, slowly and tentatively at first, though they quickly found an insistent, delicious rhythm between them.

What little clothing they wore had been quickly shed. Joe shivered beneath Adam's touch as his brother continued a slow exploration of each new curve and contour of his body.

"God, Joe. It would be so damn easy to lose control," Adam whispered suddenly. "So easy," he repeated, as though trying to remind or restrain himself.

Joe looked back at him through heavily veiled eyes, his own breathing now thick with desire and poorly controlled emotion.

"Do whatever you want," Joe offered bluntly, his hands locating the rounded contours of Adam's ass and tugging them closer together. "If you're not sure what to do, just let me help,"...

"I know what to do!" Adam interrupted, sounding impatient. "I know exactly what to do," he growled back at him, "but I don't want to hurt you!" Adam added, nearly breathless.

"Well, what we're doing feels just fine then," Joe answered, surprised by his brother's apparent expertise, though his eyes crinkled as he smiled at Adam's frustration.

Additional talk was swallowed by Adam's lips against his own, his arms gathering Joe close while beginning to rock solidly against him. The usual scent of Adam's skin was heady and strong in Joe's nostrils. The familiar, pleasant odor of his body now layered with the distinctive scent of heavy masculine arousal and sexual tension. Joe found the combination dizzying, and he succumbed to the strength of his brother's love as he felt his own release beginning to build low in his groin.

Adam could read Joe so well that he knew the noises escaping him were not caused by pain or discomfort. It was the sound of his sensuality instead. Joe had been demonstratively emotional all of his life. The small noises of surprise and delight he made now were not so profoundly different during sex than any other moment he was expressing pure happiness.

_"A definite advantage," Adam thought, unable to suppress an internal smile._

Joe was lean and tanned from the long hours of working on the ranch under the summer sun, yet everywhere Adam touched him was somehow as soft as any woman he had known. The comparison was both startling, and keenly pleasurable, leaving him wanting more.

"Come 'ere," Adam whispered suddenly, pulling Joe on to his side. "Like this"...

Adam pulled Joe closer before dragging one set of long fingers across his belly and chest. He buried his face in Joe's neck, nipping at a particularly sensitive spot behind one ear which caused Joe to shudder in response. Wandering lower, Adam wrapped one hand around his brother's firmness, finding it at once both surprising and intriguing. He knew intellectually that Joe was a grown man now. Just in case he had somehow forgotten, this one statistic could certainly verify and underscore the point.

Joe melted under his brother's touch. He found himself tumbling backwards emotionally, helpless in the arms that held him. Days of barely contained anxiety melted away with each perfectly placed caress. He sighed contentedly while allowing himself to be lost in the purity of Adam's loving attention. The passage of time became almost imperceptible as Adam held him through wave after wave of excitement, repeatedly taking him to the brink of release before pulling him back again. They were both slick with sweat and heaving for air when Joe heard himself begging for relief.

"Oh God, Adam," Joe managed. "Please - feels like I'm coming apart," he whispered. "Please let me..."

Straining and desperate for release, Joe wrapped both hands over Adam's and began pumping hard into his fist. His timing was apparently good as Adam tensed suddenly, regathered him in his powerful arms, before grinding his pelvis hard against him.

"Come on then, Joe," Adam encouraged him, his voice barely controlled. "Come on then," Adam repeated, teasing his brother's earlobe. "I want to feel you let go, Joseph."

Joe whimpered at such blatant encouragement as he felt the early, luscious tension begin to gather in his groin. Unable to help himself, he groaned at the unmistakable tingling gathering in his balls, and pushed on toward his release.

Adam's breath had become heavy and raw in Joe's ear as he drew one lobe between his teeth, teasing and unashamed, then probing gently, and becoming more insistent. The combination was explosive for Joe. He cried out as his cock erupted suddenly, causing him to shiver and spurt harder, as he coated both of their hands in the warm, sticky fluid. Joe reached desperately behind him with one arm, clawing at Adam's body as the intensity continued to peak. He arched his back at the deep, delicious sensation, all the while pumping furiously into Adam's fist until he was spent.

Adam slowed his hand carefully, recognizing that he was also teetering on the edge of losing control. He was torn between wanting to simply hold Joe, and wanting the same sensation to finish dragging him over the edge.

"Christ Almighty, Adam," Joe managed, his voice softened and weak. "You feel too damn good," he finished, landing a light kiss on the top of Adam's shoulder. "That was just - unbelievable."

Gasping and clinging to Joe, Adam was unable to hold back any longer. He heard himself moan as he emptied himself into the soft skin beneath Joe's scrotum, chasing each exquisite moment for as long as it would last.

"God Joe," Adam whispered. "I'm still coming," he added, his strong arms beginning to tremble, yet he struggled to hold on to Joe as the waves of release continued to roll over him. "I'm still coming," he whispered, amazement clear in his voice, his chest heaving from the effort.

Joe held himself motionless, yet molded to Adam's body until he was sure he had finished. Only when his body grew quiet, and his muscles slackened, did he roll onto his back. Adam collapsed on top of him - both of them sweaty, sticky, and consumed by the aftermath of completely unleashed masculinity and sexual overdrive. Joe draped both arms around Adam's neck as they laid together, neither of them able to move. Long moments ticked by as each of them worked to breathe normally, attempting to recover.

Joe noticed the trembling in Adam's entire body. It filled him with wonder as he ran one hand lightly up and down his brother's back. It startled him that Adam's desire could match his own, but their conjoining spirits had been unmistakable. The aftermath hung heavily in the air between them as they waited for it to dissipate, neither knowing or understanding how long that might be. Neither man cared. They would wait together. The stillness in the room covered them like a blanket, waiting patiently alongside them.

Adam knew each of them were in charge of their own decisions. They had both made them, and he could accept that. Still, his heart remained encased in eternal care and concern for his youngest brother. Nothing could rock his mindset away from his most prominent responsibility.

"Ummmmm, my God," Adam growled, finding his voice. "Are you ok?" he managed to ask, his arm draped around Joe, his eyes barely open.

"I'm more than ok, Adam," Joe answered honestly.

On impulse Joe stretched hard, reaching high above his head with both arms, and extending both legs out in front of him before relaxing once again. An enormous yawn escaped him as he did so. His eyes became immediately heavy.

"Yeah, I'm much more than ok," he whispered, enjoying the feel of Adam's naval fuzz where it tickled and rubbed against his own.

"Good," Adam said simply, moving his head just enough to plant a kiss on Joe's damp temple before resettling on top of him.

"Sleep then, Joseph," Adam whispered, before squeezing him one last time. He closed his eyes before exhaustion could finish overtaking him. 

"Remember, I've got you."


End file.
